HARVESTING RHODE ISLAND - SEASON THREE

WELCOME TO “HARVESTING RHODE ISLAND”, A TELEVISION SERIES WITH RHODE ISLAND PBS – TV THAT PROMOTES PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT AGRICULTURE BY INTERPRETING HOW THIS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT WAY OF LIFE ON THE FARM WILL MANAGE TO SURVIVE. THE TELEVISION SERIES EXPLORES HOW TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS ON THE FARM CAN BE CREATIVELY MAINTAINED AND BECOME MORE OF A DYNAMIC MARKETPLACE. INTRODUCING THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO THE FARMERS OF RHODE ISLAND PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO THE COMPLEX BUT EASILY TAKEN-FOR-GRANTED PROCESS BEHIND PRODUCTS THEY CONSUME.

THE SHOW SHARES THE CENTRAL STORY OF HOW THE FARMERS HAVE RESPONDED TO CHANGING TECHNOLOGY AND MARKETS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SUCCEED AS A BUSINESS. GROWERS LEARNED HOW TO BALANCE TRADITIONAL APPROACHES THAT WERE HANDED DOWN TO THEM WITH THE VARIABLE REALITIES OF TODAY’S BUSINESS CLIMATE. IN THE LATTER PART OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY LOCAL WHOLESALE MARKETS BEGAN TO SHRINK DUE TO LARGE RETAILERS’ AND NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS. AS A RESULT FARMERS INCREASED THEIR DIRECT MARKETING THROUGH ON-SITE RETAIL STANDS, PICK YOUR OWN PROGRAMS, FARMERS MARKETS AND SELLING THROUGH FARM FRESH TO LOCAL RETAILERS. THIS DIRECT APPROACH HAS IN TURN STIMULATED DIVERSIFICATION TO SATISFY THE ECLECTIC TASTES OF INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED CONSUMERS. . A LARGE NUMBER OF CONSUMERS IN RHODE ISLAND ARE UNAWARE OF THE LOCATIONS AND VARIETY OF CROPS THAT ARE GROWN IN THE STATE AND WHERE TO PURCHASE THEM. "HARVESTING RHODE ISLAND" TAKES THEM ON LOCATION SO THEY CAN SEE THE FARMS AND LISTEN TO THE FARMER'S STORIES.

THE EDUCATED CONSUMER WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FARMS IN RHODE ISLAND.